Examining Factors Affecting Youth Value of Mindful Living and a Mindfulness Program Evaluation Among Participants at Pennsylvania and Ohio 4-H Camps
Open Access
- Author:
- Stollar, Mariah
- Graduate Program:
- Agricultural and Extension Education
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- March 03, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Suzanna R. Windon, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Mark A Brennan, Jr., Program Head/Chair
Robert William Roeser, Committee Member
Joshua E. Rice, Special Signatory - Keywords:
- mindfulness
non-formal education
youth development
leadership development
stress management
program evaluation
mindful living
Extension education
4-H - Abstract:
- This study addressed the gap in the stress management education literature related to introductory mindfulness programs for youth in non-formal educational settings, including Extension education and 4-H. The two-hour program The Mindfulness Moments: Today and 4-Life for youth (ages 10-18) was adapted, delivered, and evaluated. The goal of the program was to help youth understand mindfulness and mindful living principles by providing them with mindfulness practices and strategies. A new evaluation instrument helped to ensure that youth participants learned and intended to apply mindfulness concepts from the program. The purpose of the research part of this thesis was to assess youth experience of a mindfulness program and explore factors that affect youth value of mindful living. The study found that, on average, youth highly value mindful living, and there was a significant relationship between youth value of mindful living and each state factor of mindfulness, namely, (a) awareness of mental events, (b) awareness of physical sensations, and (c) non-judgement of emotional experience. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between youth value of mindful living and gender. However, there were not significant relationships found between youth value of mindful living and religiosity and prior experience with mindfulness. Study results suggested that mindfulness program practitioners should first focus on helping youth learn the benefits of mindfulness and fostering enthusiasm about mindfulness before suggesting youth implement the practices on their own. Other implications of these findings for future research and practice for mindfulness programming with youth are discussed.